Our community has consistently stood on the front lines of social issues. We have publicly confronted hate groups, fought for the abolition of corporal punishment in public schools, and applied for equal representation when religious installations are placed on public property. We've provided religious exemption and legal protection against laws that unscientifically restrict people's reproductive autonomy. We have exposed harmful pseudo-scientific practitioners in mental health care, organized clubs alongside other religious after-school clubs in schools and conducted community outreach.

Despite our active participation and contributions to society, we lack a local congregation for The Satanic Temple here in Providence, Rhode Island and neighboring  Massachusetts cities within the Bristol county. This absence hinders our ability to fully engage with our community and practice our beliefs freely as well as having a local place to congregate and practice our deeply held religious beliefs.

The Satanic Temple is recognized as a church under United States law (IRS Notice 2019-30). It provides an important home for those who identify with its tenets such as - empathy and compassion among all people, freedom of one's own body, and the pursuit of knowledge- values that resonate deeply within us.

Having a local congregation would enhance our capacity to contribute positively to Providence's social fabric. It would provide us with an official platform from which we can continue fighting against hate groups; advocating for fair treatment across all religions; promoting science-based policies; protecting individuals' rights over their bodies; exposing harmful practices in mental health care; and fostering inclusivity within after-school programs and community outreach programs.

We urge you to support us by signing this petition as we strive towards establishing a local congregation for The Satanic Temple here in Providence. Your signature can make a significant difference by ensuring that every voice within this diverse city is heard and respected equally.

Our tenants:

I
One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.

 
II
The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.

 
III
One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.

 
IV
The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one's own.

 
V
Beliefs should conform to one's best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one's beliefs.

 
VI
People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one's best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused.

 
VII
Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.